Psychology PhD

Our specialised research interests in psychology include evolutionary psychology, perception and cognition, animal behaviour, neuroscience, social psychology and forensic psychology. We have PhDs funded by UK research councils and charities and we welcome self-funding applicants interested in doing postgraduate research in psychology.

The School of Psychology offers MPhil and PhD supervision in the following areas:

Clinical and health psychology

We research developmental disorders of perception and cognition, and the development and assessment of cognitive models of, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment for:

bipolar disorder
psychosis
anxiety
developmental disorders

Behaviour and evolution

We carry out studies of animal and human behaviour including:

the evolutionary psychology of mate choice
attractiveness and co-operation
evolutionary approaches to personality

Visual perception and human cognition

Our research includes:

perception of natural scenes
psychophysics and attention
visual social cognition and face processing
advertising and consumer behaviour

Development psychology

We focus on how different cognitive skills develop in children, from memory systems to learning in school. We have particular strength in developmental disorders such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Forensic psychology

Our research includes:

investigative interviewing of victims
witnesses and suspected offenders of crime, including eye-witness testimony
sexual offending, including historical allegations of sexual abuse
communication in legal contexts.